I recently bought and tested out one of those "windproof" lighters. Well, to make a long story short, I don't think it is something I'd be willing to bet my life on if it came down to it. I have since decided to get myself some waterproof matches. I have never used any before, so I was just wondering what brand of waterproof matches others have put in their PSKs?

I have both ProForce (from Brigade Quartermaster) and REI in different packs. They both work similarly well, but as the REI ones are longer, they burn longer. When space is an issue, I use the ProForce.

Lifeboat = #1.

Reliable in storage , actual use or both? All matches will eventually degrade. I use NATO LIFEBOATS, which are handmade and laquered. The sealed white containers are excellent, even holding a small cotton tinder. The 'Achille's heal' is the exposed striking surface. I personally don't have any problems striking these on the small strips from a standard matchbox. it's a matter of a firm surface and practise- needed with these beasties anyway. My standard fare firesource are plain strike anywhere matches hand selected with both vaseline soaked cottenballs and a small supply of fatwood. The biggest failure in firemaking is transfering the energy from that match to suitable tinder and on to your main fuel. Redundancy is the magic word for fire. It's so critical, the components so small, a few personal favourites are easy to pick.

Well said.

When you get the NATO Lifeboat matches get an extra so you can open it and practice... you don't want to burn yourself or freak out and throw the match when you light it up your first time. They don't ignite like any other match you have used most likely <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

-Todd

Here's a useful bit of advice from Doug's discussion of such matches elsewhere on the site:

Note: There is a trick to getting these matches to light easily without snapping them in two. Instead of drawing them to you, as you would with a normal match, you should strike them down onto the striker, as if trying to poke it through the top, with just a very little forward motion, not with a pulling motion you would normally use with a match. No, this is not intuitive, and no, there are no instructions on the vial to this effect.

Just a small update... I ordered some NATO Lifeboat matches recently, and they just came in the mail today. I bought 2 bottles (50 matches total), so I decided to check to see just how reliable they were. I filled my bathroom sink up with water, and planned to test just how waterproof they really are.

First, I sprinkled some water on the head of the match, then lit it. On the second strike, it lit up very nicely. It put off a lot of heat, and a good sized flame. I then decided I would see if what the bottle really claimed was true (that you could submerge it and it wouldn't go out).

So, I dropped the match into the sink, where it became completely submerged in the water. I was a bit disappointed to see that the match quickly extinguished in a large poof of smoke. I watched it for a second, then picked it back up out of the sink. As I took it out of the water, I heard a sizzling sound, and all of a sudden the match relit itself. Very nifty <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I just wanted to say thanks for the advice everyone, these matches are awesome.. and if anyone here has never tried them, I highly recommend them. They are great matches, very waterproof, and very inexpensive! ($3/bottle).

I'm confused...according the Doug Ritter, the matches he puts in the Aviator Survial Packs:



Regards,
Steve

Matches!

We don't need no stinking matches! <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

That is why they invented ferro rods and mini-Bic lighters. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />